Publications

The cover of first issue of Roopbaan magazine launched in January, 2014.

The cover of the second issue published in August, 2014.

Roopbaan Magazine

Roopbaan, meaning a ‘fabulous and beautiful person’ in Bengali, is the first and only LGBT magazine of Bangladesh. Under the pennant of a lifestyle magazine, Roopbaan features segments like fashion, travel, health, human rights, activism, literature etc. Love and Bangladesh are at the core of Roopbaan’s editorial policy; promote human right to love and establish the idea that same sex love exists in Bangladesh like in any other country or society in the world.

The need for such a magazine originates in the context of Bangladesh, which is one of the 72 countries where homosexual conduct is criminalized by law. Since Bangladesh is a Muslim majority country with rather conservative value system, homosexuality is not tolerated or accepted. Hence, LGBT persons suffer from social unacceptability, legal criminalization, physical violence, social harassment and possible threats of discrimination and homophobia.

The magazine has published only two issues till date.

Iti Roopbaan

Iti Roopbaan is a book consisting of a series of letters collected from the Bangladeshi LGBT community. This book acts as a catharsis for queer people to express their sexual and gender identities in a Muslim dominated society.

The work on this book came to a halt after the murder of Xulhaz Mannan and K. Mahbub Rabbi Tonoy in 2016 by extremists. Recently, a group of volunteers took up the incomplete manuscript and started to work on it. A series of thirty letters are planned to be published in a printed book dedicated to Xulhaz Mannan who originally envisioned Iti Roopbaan just before his untimely death.

Roopongti (2015)

A queer poetry book under the banner of Roopbaan was published on February 27, 2015. The publisher of this book was attacked by Islamic extremists in September 2015.

About Roopbaan

Roopbaan is a Bangladeshi non-profit, non-partisan, volunteer-based platform for LGBT individuals and their allies. It works to raise awareness about Bangladeshis who represent sexual and gender diversity, and advocate for their human right to love.